_These are the names of the tribes: from the north end_, &c. As the
description of the boundaries of the land began on the north, so the
portion of that tribe to which the most northern lot fell is first
named, which is _Dan. For these are his sides east and west_ These are
the boundaries belonging... [ Continue Reading ]
_And by the border of Reuben, &c., a portion for Judah_ From the 1st
verse to the 7th, the situation of seven of the twelve tribes is
described, which were placed on the north side of the holy portion,
the length of Judea, from north to south, being divided into twelve
equal parts, (see Ezekiel 47:1... [ Continue Reading ]
_By the border of Judah, &c., shall be the offering_, &c. Next to the
border of Judah, which runs in length from east to west, shall be the
offering ye shall set apart for the service of God, Ezekiel 45:1. The
word _reeds_, it must be observed, is not in the original text, either
here or in that pla... [ Continue Reading ]
_The oblation ye shall offer unto the Lord_ For his sanctuary and
priests: see Ezekiel 45:1: _shall be five and twenty thousand in
length_ See note on Ezekiel 45:3. _Toward the north five and twenty
thousand in length_ The dimensions from east to west are called by the
name of _breadth_ here, but of... [ Continue Reading ]
_It shall be for the priests of the sons of Zadok_ See note on Ezekiel
44:10; Ezekiel 44:15. _Which went not astray as the Levites_ Or, _as
the_ other _Levites went astray._ “The word _Levites_ is here used
in its greatest latitude, and comprehends the priests, as well as
those who were properly cal... [ Continue Reading ]
_Over against the border of the priests_ It might be better
translated, _just by_, or _beside the border of the priests._ The
words import, that the border of the Levites should run parallel to
that of the priests. And in the same sense the words should be
translated in the 15th, 18th, and 21st vers... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the five thousand that are left in the breadth over against_ [or
_beside_, see Eze 48:13] _the five and twenty thousand_ This five
thousand, added to the twenty-five thousand in length, and two ten
thousands in breadth, mentioned Ezekiel 48:10, makes up a square of
twenty- five thousand every w... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the residue in length over against_ [or _beside_] _the oblation
of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward and ten thousand
westward_ These two dimensions, of ten thousand in length both
eastward and westward, remain on each side of the area, which is five
thousand cubits square, and se... [ Continue Reading ]
_The residue shall be for the prince on the one side and on the
other_, &c. The prince's part shall be extended, both on the east and
west side of the several allotments belonging to the priests, the
Levites, and the city. _Over against the five and twenty thousand_,
&c. The particle אל פני, transla... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover from_, or rather, _beyond, the possession of the Levites,
and beyond the possession of the city_ That is, the possessions
belonging to the priests and Levites, and the city, were to be bounded
on the east and west side with the prince's portion; so those were to
lie in the middle, and this... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for the rest of the tribes_, &c. The portion assigned for Judah
being situate next to the holy portion on the north side, that
assigned to Benjamin lay next to the ground allotted to the city on
the south side. All these allotments ran from east to west in length,
and from north to south in brea... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of
Israel_ It had twelve gates in all, three on each side, which was very
proper, since it lay four-square; and these twelve gates were
inscribed to the twelve tribes. Because the city was to be served out
of all the tribes of Israel,... [ Continue Reading ]
_The name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there _ It
is very frequently said in Scripture, that a person or thing should be
called by a certain name, when it was to be invested with qualities
which might entitle it to that denomination. Thus Isaiah, foretelling
the coming of the Mess... [ Continue Reading ]